Woodstock Mayor's Youth Leadership Academy Accepting Applications Through March 31
The competitive program, open to rising high school juniors and seniors, runs June 8–12 and accepts only 12 participants
Woodstock Community News Staff
High school students in Woodstock have until March 31 to apply for the Mayor's Youth Leadership Academy, a competitive civic program that gives a select group of teenagers a hands-on look at how local government actually works — and why it matters. Only 12 applicants will be accepted, making it one of the more exclusive youth opportunities the city offers each year.
The week-long academy runs June 8–12, 2026, and is open to rising high school juniors and seniors. Rather than sitting through lectures about civics in the abstract, participants engage directly with local leaders, develop real-world leadership skills, and dig into the workings of the community they call home — from how the city budget gets built to how planning decisions shape a neighborhood's future.
What sets this program apart from a typical summer enrichment experience is its academic backbone. The academy is a partnership between the City of Woodstock and the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development at the University of Georgia. Based in Athens, the Fanning Institute has spent decades as a nationally recognized resource for civic and community leadership training, working with governments, nonprofits, and universities across the country. Its involvement means participants aren't getting a watered-down tour of City Hall — they're working through a curriculum built on professional leadership development principles.
That matters in a city growing as fast as Woodstock. Cherokee County's largest city has transformed dramatically over the past two decades, adding residents, businesses, and infrastructure at a pace that puts real demands on local government and the people who run it. Programs like the Mayor's Youth Leadership Academy are a direct investment in that future — an effort to ensure the teenagers who grow up here are prepared to step into civic roles, not just observe from the sidelines.
For families with rising juniors or seniors, the March 31 deadline leaves little time to deliberate. The online application is available at woodstockga.gov/youthacademy.
Source: City of Woodstock Facebook
